Of course you don’t want to pay for a new passport unless you need to; they’re not inexpensive. But waiting until your passport is almost ready to expire could cost you. That’s because countries increasingly want at least six months of validity remaining on your passport.

Having to get an expedited passport because yours will expire is going to cost you much more than renewing early. Renewal is $110. Add at least $60 for expedited service and more for postage if you’re not doing this at a passport agency. Total: extra aggravation, extra money, totally unnecessary.

Insure your trip. Flights get delayed, canceled, etc. Hurricanes hit. Or perhaps you land with shingles (as I did in Australia in 2014). When something goes awry, trip insurance can save your bacon. Use a travel comparison site, such as InsureMyTrip, TravelInsurance or Squaremouth, and don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and call to get the basic policies in plain English.